Naruto Shippuden: The Legendary Team 伝説的なチーム
by Her Pretty Smile
Summary: —[Canon-based] In the middle of the Fourth Great Ninja War, Team 7, namely Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi, and Sai, were suddenly sent back to the past. With that being said, they had to correct their mistakes, fix their broken bonds, and save certain people so that all would be right again. [Team 7-centric; Ongoing]
1. ღPrologueღ

**Naruto Shippuden: The Legendary Team 伝説的なチーム**

by Her Pretty Smile

* * *

**Synopsis:** [Canon-based] In the middle of the Fourth Great Ninja War, Team 7, namely Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi, and Sai, were suddenly sent back to the past. With that being said, they had to correct their mistakes, fix their broken bonds, and save certain people so that all would be right again. [Team 7-centric; Ongoing]

**Warning:** Unbeta-ed; may contain mistakes. AND SPOILERS ALERT! Be sure that you're a bit updated on the manga. However, I've only gotten to the part where Team 7 has been reunited, so if you're beyond there already, then there should be no problem.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto nor any of its characters. They all rightfully belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Authoress' Note:** I get completely thrilled whenever I read time-travel fics, so I've decided to make one! Also, there will be some Team 7 romance, so if you want to back out now, do it. I won't mind. :)

**IMPORTANT NOTE:** I kinda altered the fights going on in the war, so don't be surprised if I made Team 7 minus Sasuke fight together against opponents they never fought in the anime/manga during the war.

* * *

**Naruto Shippuden: The Legendary Team 伝説的なチーム**

Prologue

* * *

IT WAS GETTING INCREASINGLY maddening. Fighting _the_ Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Obito along with the Ten Tails was like fighting for your life; you had to give everything you got in order to survive.

Sakura gritted her teeth as she glanced at her teammates. Naruto wasn't faring very well, Kakashi was overusing his Sharingan, and Sai looked extremely exhausted. She, on the other hand, was heavily injured, but she couldn't heal herself right now for it would be too risky especially at times like this when she had to save up her chakra.

Maybe she should just use the seal on her forehead...

Yes, maybe she should. This was a matter of life-and-death, after all.

But before she could, however, a bright light engulfed the four of them, and the next thing she knew, they were in a place where all she could see was white.

She blinked. "W—Where...?"

"_Sakura-chan_! Are you all right?" Naruto asked worriedly from her side.

"Naruto...? What happened?"

"It seems that we have been transported somewhere," Kakashi said after analyzing the surroundings.

"Naruto... Sakura..." Sai spoke up in a serious voice.

Aforementioned people stared at him.

"...It seems that we have company."

Their gazes followed his and they found themselves staring at a certain dark-haired boy whose face was permeated with a scowl.

"_Sasuke-kun_?" Sakura breathed out in disbelief.

"Why are you here?" Naruto asked curiously. "I thought you were with Itachi."

"I was, but then I was brought here" was his succinct reply.

Before they could engage into further conversation, a soft voice interrupted them gently.

"_Fear not, Team 7, for you are all here for one reason only_."

"Who's there?" Naruto called out, his defenses sliding up in an instant.

"Naruto," Sakura said quietly in a soft voice, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"_Please relax. I will not hurt you. I am Hirakawa Yori, a ninja of Suna._"

"...I mean no disrespect, Hirakawa-san, but what does a Suna ninja want with Team 7?" Kakashi inquired.

"_No offense taken, Hatake-san. I had heard of your team months ago, and from what I gathered, you five are simply admirable. The bond you have is unbreakable, yet of course at times it bends, but it still stays strong. Now, to tell you who I really am, I am one of Orochimaru's experiments, and because of that, I had created a unique jutsu_."

"What kind of jutsu?" Naruto asked, still slightly wary of the stranger.

"_A Time Travel jutsu_. _This kind of jutsu lets chosen people travel back into the past. Their souls are then placed into their old bodies; their chakra reserves, their memories, and their abilities will still be the same_."

"A Time Travel jutsu...?" Sakura exclaimed, her eyes wide in surprise. "Is that really possible?"

"_Hai, it seems. And I have chosen you five to go back to the past and save the future_."

"But why us?" Sakura asked inquisitively.

"_Simple. Like I said a moment ago, you five have an admirable bond. You have the determination and the bond to make things right. You are undoubtedly the right people for the job_."

"...How long will we go back?" Kakashi asked quietly with a thoughtful look on his face, apparently trusting the girl's intentions.

"_The day the Kyuubi attacked Konoha_."

Sasuke spoke up. "If such a powerful jutsu exists, then its side effects must also be powerful." His implication was as clear as day.

"_Hai. If I activate the jutsu, I will be stuck in the time realm for an indeterminable amount of time_."

"But… won't you be in the past?" Sakura asked, puzzled. "I mean, it's a Time Travel jutsu, after all…"

"_No… I won't. It will be like I never existed_." A hint of sadness coloured her tone. "_But when I am out of the time realm, people will remember me once again as if nothing had ever happened. That is, if I can get out soon enough_."

Naruto clenched his hands into fists. "Isn't… Isn't there _any_ way we can save you?"

"…_That I do not know, Uzumaki Naruto… But I will gladly sacrifice myself if that's what it takes in order to save the future_." They could sense a smile in her next words. "_And I trust you. Remember that_."

Before they could have second thoughts however, a blinding-white light engulfed them, and then they blacked out.

* * *

-;-

* * *

BEFORE MINATO COULD START forming the seals that would summon the _Shinigami_—the Death God, the Kyuubi stopped resisting. Confused, Minato stared at the demon with wary eyes, somewhat expecting it to thrash against the chains binding it.

But it didn't. It only stared back at him with soulful, almost regretful eyes, but before his brain could grasp that concept, it disappeared just as quickly as it came, replaced by a certain kind of quietness and indifference.

"M—Minato!" Kushina choked out, beads of sweat rolling down her chin as she took this chance to clutch her baby in her arms protectively. "N—Naruto... He..."

"What?" Minato said, alarmed as he rushed over to his wife's side. "What's wrong with Naruto?"

"He... On his stomach," Kushina croaked out in disbelief. "The... The Eight Trigrams Seal."

Minato's eyes widened in shock. "But... But that's impossible," he sputtered out. "The Kyuubi's chakra is too immense to be sealed inside an infant! How...?"

Kushina laid a hand on her stomach, her expression serious. "This can't be... My son… My son really is a jinchuuriki... But… It's—It's such a huge burden!"

At that moment, the Third Hokage and his other companions neared them, the barrier Minato cast having been negated due to his shock.

"_Kushina_!" the Sandaime exclaimed. "Are you all right? You're still weak from childbirth! You shouldn't be moving around!"

"I'm fine, Sandaime," Kushina said absently, her senses completely and temporarily dulled as she was too busy worrying over her son to be able to realize that she was incapacitated.

At that moment, the Kyuubi sent itself into Naruto's stomach, therefore sealing itself there. As the spectators looked on in shock, Naruto inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

"_Whew. We did it, Kyuubi. We saved my parents_." Happiness tinged his voice.

"...Good for you, brat."

"_Ne_..."

"Hm?"

"_Arigatou_."

* * *

-;-

* * *

ITACHI ROCKED HIS BABY brother gently as he looked at the night sky, careful as to not wake him. A while ago, he'd sensed a malevolent, immense chakra in the village, and he was confirmed right when he'd seen that it was the Kyuubi. Panicking slightly, he'd clutched Sasuke tight into his chest in a protective manner, but he'd also made sure that he didn't wake him up.

When the evil chakra had disappeared, Itachi had breathed a sigh of relief. If the Kyuubi had attacked near the Uchiha Compound, he wouldn't have known what to do since he had a baby with him and his parents were out for the night.

Now, Itachi hummed quietly to himself, letting his features relax into a serene expression, thinking that no one would notice the vulnerable slip in his mask.

Little did he know though that Sasuke was very much awake and was staring at him in wonder mixed with happiness.

A real, true smile curled his lips. _Aniki…_

_Welcome back._

* * *

-;-

* * *

SAKURA WAS ANNOYED. VERY annoyed, to be exact.

A seventeen-year-old with considerably good amounts of chakra reserves stuck in a baby's body was _not_ a good experience no matter what they said. It was absolutely mortifying, not being able to speak coherent words, not being able to do whatever she wanted to do, and not being able to get used to this tiny little body.

When Mebuki put her in her crib, however, Sakura instantly felt sleepy.

_Well, if this is going to be that particular eat-sleep-cry routine, then I have no choice_, Sakura thought grudgingly.

And so, she welcomed the claws of sleep with open arms.

But not before she remembered to store her chakra.

* * *

-;-

* * *

KAKASHI JOLTED IN PLACE as he felt like he was being plopped into his own fourteen-year-old self.

"Something wrong, eternal rival?" Gai asked beside him.

Kakashi glanced at him, then shook his head. "It's nothing. Nothing at all..." He glanced at his surroundings, feeling the surreal effect of the jutsu in his surroundings.

_It's been a long time since I've become the ANBU Captain… Oh well. I guess I'll have to stick to it until the right time comes._

* * *

**END**

* * *

**A/N:** I did not include Sai and he will not be mentioned until further chapters. This I did because I want his parts suspenseful and secret. Besides, he's a ROOT member, but I can assure you that he'll have a good role in this story. He's Team 7, remember? I won't forget that he's a part of it.

Meanwhile, Kakashi's parts will be considerably shorter compared to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura's. This is because he's a Jounin, so he'll be packed up with missions and such. Also, there's the matter of him becoming ANBU which is something that I'll write about in further chapters.

**IMPORTANT NOTE:** Starting Chapter 1, chapters will be written in novel or epic length (8,000 words and above). I plan for this fic to have a Part 1 and Part 2; Part 1 will take up 40 chapters while Part 2 will take up 50 chapters. Let me warn you though that this is just an estimation and that I do not prefer this story to exceed 90 chapters because that would be too long and boring.

Review, please. I'd really like to know what you think so that I can be motivated to post the next chapter. I am not forcing you to do so, though, but just one meaningful review will be fine. Thank you. :)


	2. ღChapter 1ღ

**Naruto Shippuden: The Legendary Team ****伝説的なチーム**

by Her Pretty Smile

* * *

**Warning:** This is rated T for a reason; expect some violence, language, gore, harshness of reality, and slice of life. Although this is mostly humor, but I don't know if I have a good sense of humor (like if my quips go flat… -.-).

**A/N:** In order to clarify things, I am not leaning towards a specific pairing. I give each Sakura pairing a chance, but I don't know who she should end up with in the end. I mean, of course everything starts with friendship, faith, and trust, but it isn't all that when time passes. Naruto's love for Sakura is undeniable, and so is Sakura's love for Sasuke. I don't think it's very easy for love to fade. I will try to make Kakashi and Sai have some romantic interactions with her too, but I will not tread on it further if you don't want me to. Of course there will be some side pairings which are NaruHina, SaiIno, KibaIno, NejiTen, ShikaTema, AsuKure, KibaSaku, JiraTsuna, SasoSaku (I know, I know, but I just can't resist. They have chemistry!), ChoIno, ShikaSaku, MinaKushi (Squeeee~!), GaaSaku (What? They have chemistry, too!), KankuTen (Just a little. Pleeease? :3), LeeTen (Very slight hints), and KibaHina.

So now I ask of you all, who should Sakura end up with in the end? Please tell me in your review. Thank you.

* * *

**Naruto Shippuden: The Legendary Team ****伝説的なチーム**

Chapter 1

* * *

_Four years later..._

* * *

"MINATO, I'M WORRIED," KUSHINA said, placing her hands on her lap as she looked out the window towards the garden where Naruto was training on his accuracy with shurikens.

"Worried about what?" Minato inquired, his warm blue eyes putting her slightly at ease as he sat himself across her.

"Naruto," she replied softly. "I know how the village treats him—I'd be an idiot not to know." Her eyes blazed in anger. "And I just can't get over the fact that they treat him like _fucking_ dirt, like—like he's the _Kyuubi_! _I_ wasn't even treated like that! They just _fucking_ think—"

"Kushina, _language_," Minato chided gently.

"—that their Hokage would not notice!" Kushina went on as if there were no interruptions. "What fools! No mother should be able to stand this... this..."

"I know, Kushina," Minato said quietly. "I know."

"Then _what the heck are you doing_?!" Kushina all but snapped at him. "Tell them off!"

Minato lowered his head, his intense gaze on his hands. "It's not that easy," he said softly. "Even if I _do_ tell them off, it won't erase the resentment in their hearts. Numerous shinobi and civilians died in the attack, Kushina, and the ones who managed to survive lost people who were important to them."

Kushina seethed at that. "Well, that's no excuse for them to blame it all on an innocent child! They're just taking advantage of the fact that our Naruto is as sweet as an angel and doesn't know want any sort of trouble!" she remarked, huffing. "Besides, no offense, the attack happened four years ago. They should move on already."

Minato just stared at her, waiting patiently for her to finish.

"It's what their loved ones would've wanted," she muttered quietly.

Minato smiled. "Yes, I know. We may not be able to do much about it, but Naruto... he's strong. He may be four years old, but despite his happy, cheerful façade, he has a mature side. He can handle himself."

Kushina sighed and let her head carelessly fall, Minato speedily coming to her side and letting it lay promptly on his shoulder. "You're right," she said softly. "I guess I'm just a bit too worried..."

"You have every right to be worried," her husband reassured her gently. "But I have faith in Naruto. I have faith that he can stand on his own."

"I just hope that he can make some friends," Kushina said quietly. "I sometimes get the feeling that he's lonely."

Minato nodded slightly, looking out the window and spotting his son stopping his practice.

"So do I."

* * *

-;-

* * *

SASUKE WAS A PRIDEFUL person at heart, but he knew that it didn't really matter anymore. He had his clan back, and he had his brother with him. No one could measure the happiness and satisfaction inside him and he could already feel the broken pieces of his heart mending back together on its own. The last four years of endurance in a baby's body had been extremely difficult for him, but he was glad that it was all over.

Now all he had to do was train and train in order to enroll early in the Academy like his brother did so that his parents would be proud of him and so that he could become strong enough to protect them even while he was a body that he wasn't used to being in yet. Yes, he retained his large chakra reserves, but it was overwhelming his four-year-old self, so he carefully made sure to use most of it up before his family noticed.

Aside from these matters, though, there was also something burdening Sasuke.

His _teammates._

Should he go visit them? But then what? What could he do once he found them? Despite the situation, he had a great feeling that he was still in a loop with his teammates. He'd left them before, he'd hurt them, he'd rejected their help...

He didn't know if he could be forgiven.

He just didn't know.

"Something wrong, Sasuke?" Itachi asked in a concerned voice, eyeing his little brother's slightly bothered expression.

Sasuke shook his head, not wanting to burden Itachi with his problems. And besides, these certain problems were classified—the Suna shinobi had added that one of the rules in time-travelling was never to tell anyone else or else the jutsu would become abused by someone. "It's nothing, aniki."

Itachi observed him with probing eyes. "You know..." he drawled, "in our family, the two of us are prodigies. I graduated at the Academy when I was seven, but in the state you're in, you could probably enroll this year and graduate at six years old."

Sasuke's head jerked up towards his brother in surprise. Itachi... Itachi was _acknowledging_ his abilities. He had faith and trust in Sasuke to be able to surpass him.

At that moment, Sasuke vowed that he would not disappoint him no matter what it took.

He would change the past. He would not let Itachi have a depressing life full of burdens, and he would not let his clan die this time.

The question was, could he do it all by himself?

That was the question he had yet to answer.

* * *

-;-

* * *

SAKURA HAD A HAPPY expression on her face as she skipped towards a familiar place—the Hokage's apartment. It was funny, the fact that the Yondaime could very well buy a big, luxurious house for his family but chose not to.

She had only met the Yondaime once in the Fourth Great Ninja War, but at that moment, she knew that the man was sincere and good-natured, not to mention incredibly strong and caring. He obviously loved his village and his people, and that was what made Sakura admire him even more.

When she'd reached the apartment, she found Naruto training in the garden and was overwhelmed by joy at seeing him. It had been a very long time; four years was nothing to scoff at. The only reason why she wasn't able to visit Naruto was because her parents didn't trust her to walk around town on her own since she was just too young. She didn't blame them, though. They couldn't know that their daughter was actually twenty-one years old at heart.

_I'm already twenty-one,_ Sakura mused, _yet I'm stuck here in my four-year-old body. How depressing…_

But even being coped up in the house didn't make her blind to the injustice Naruto had been given constantly. But deep inside, she knew that if Naruto was still going to be a jinchuuriki, then the villagers would hate him as expected. Although it pained her greatly to witness a playback of her beloved teammate's painful past, she couldn't do anything, not if she wanted to arouse even the slightest suspicion.

So instead, she chose to believe in Naruto and hoped that when the time came, she would be able to protect him, something that she hadn't done back then.

"_Naruto_!" she yelled happily, running over to the blond when he turned to her with wide, surprised eyes.

She jumped right into his arms, not caring when they fell down to the ground with her on top of him. Because Naruto didn't want her to get hurt, he took the brunt of the impact as he wrapped his arms protectively around her, refusing to let her go.

"S—Sakura-chan," he gasped out, breathless.

"Naruto," Sakura whispered softly. "I'm so glad I finally get to see you. It's been so long..."

Naruto's lips curved into a soft, gentle smile. "Yeah, I know... I missed you too, Sakura-chan." He closed his eyes as he smelled the sweet fragrance of her hair.

Smiling at this, she hugged him even more tightly. For a moment, she thought that she might be choking him, but she didn't dwell on it further since Naruto wasn't complaining.

After a few seconds, though, she finally let go of him and extended her hand, offering to help him up. He took it gratefully, and in a quick motion, she made him stand up using her strength.

"Still as strong as ever, Sakura-chan," Naruto commented, the admiration evident in his eyes.

"Don't be silly," Sakura chided, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I'm not using chakra as to not arouse any suspicion."

"Then..."

"I've been working out," she told him proudly. "Been training the hell out of me these last three years after I'd managed to walk on my own. I even managed to place some weights in my arms and lower legs like Lee does."

"That's great, Sakura-chan!" He gave her a toothy smile. "I've been working hard, too."

"No doubt about that," Sakura remarked, smiling. "And you're lucky, too. You don't have to explain your large chakra reserves because you have the Kyuubi."

Naruto grinned, but a twinge of curiosity sparked in him as he seemed to remember something he'd realized at first sight. "Ne, Sakura-chan, I've been meaning to ask you this ever since you came..."

"What is it?"

"What's with the slight genjutsu?"

Sakura's eyes widened. "You... You can sense it?" she asked disbelievingly.

Naruto shook his head. "Nah. I just noticed that your Yin seal isn't on your forehead, so I figured that... well, you know..."

Sakura grinned. "Your intellect and perception improved considerably, huh, Naruto?" she teased lightly.

"_Hey_!" Naruto protested in the same lightness, attempting to sound offended. "You despair me, Sakura-chan."

Sakura giggled. "Well, anyway, to answer that… Yeah, I'm using a bit of genjutsu on my forehead to cover up the seal since it's going to be suspicious otherwise. But four years ago, I noticed—no, rather, I _felt_—that the Yin seal wasn't on my forehead, so I gathered up some chakra and made it again just in case of emergency situations."

"Sensible as ever, Sakura-chan."

"Naruto?"

Aforementioned person jolted at the sound of his mother's voice and cursed himself mentally for forgetting the fact that his parents were watching him from the window due to the excitement of seeing Sakura after a very long time.

"Yeah, kaa-chan?" Naruto fumbled nervously, fidgeting in his position.

Kushina smiled at him warmly. "Can I ask who this lovely young girl is?"

"Ah! Her name is Haruno Sakura, and she's a friend of mine," Naruto said quickly. "We—We met not long ago."

Minato appeared at his wife's side, and when Sakura looked at him, she was struck by the homely appearance of the Yondaime donning casual clothes.

"Nice to meet you, Sakura-chan," Minato said warmly.

Sakura blushed, suddenly feeling shy in the presence of such an important figure of the village.

_So these people are Naruto's parents..._ Sakura thought, glancing at her teammate whose smile spoke volumes. _I'm glad... I'm glad that he has them. He looks so happy now._

Then Sakura remembered her manners. "Nice to meet you too, Hokage-sama," she said formally, bowing her head respectfully. Then she turned to Kushina. "Nice to meet you too—"

"Call me _okaa-san_, Sakura-chan!" Kushina quipped cheerfully, earning a shocked, embarrassed look from Naruto and a chuckle from Minato. "I will _not_ allow you to be formal with me, got that?" She gave the young girl a wink.

"Then if that's the case, call me _otou-san_, Sakura-chan," Minato added playfully.

Sakura's face turned tomato-red. This was _not_ what she was expecting at all. She did _not_ expect Naruto's parents to be so carefree and mischievous in their own way, but she did know that they meant well and were very good-hearted despite the implication of their words which made her feel relaxed and comfortable in their presence.

"O—Okay," Sakura stammered, still feeling a bit embarrassed.

Naruto's face was also as red as hers. "Tou-chan, kaa-chan," he whispered, chagrined.

"Aw, don't be so embarrassed, Naruto-chan," Kushina said with a playful glint in her eye. "In fact, don't think that I hadn't noticed the sweet little _hug_ you two had a little while ago."

Both Naruto and Sakura blushed furiously.

"Aaw! You two are just too _cute_!" Kushina gushed, pinching each of their cheeks.

"Kaa-chan!" Naruto sounded mildly scandalized.

Minato chuckled in amusement.

* * *

-;-

* * *

KAKASHI COULDN'T SAY THAT he didn't expect the village to change their views of Naruto just because Minato and Kushina were alive. In fact, he'd suspected that this would happen. Emotions aren't something that can be controlled, he knew, because he himself knew from personal experience. In his heart, he bore resentment at himself and guilt at not being able to save his loved ones. He couldn't make them fade no matter what he did, and that was the reason why he couldn't always be truly happy.

But it made him angry to witness the hate and the ignorance directed towards Naruto. He did not want his student to relive his painful past again, but it just happened. Naruto was lonely once again, and he was being given unjust treatment.

Kakashi unconsciously clenched his hands into fists at the thought, but relaxed as he remembered Sasuke, Sai, and Sakura. They were the only ones who could keep Naruto company until he was slowly becoming acknowledged by everyone in the village. They were the only ones who Naruto trusted and relied on the most. So, as long as they were by his side, Naruto could go on.

In fact, all he needed was to prove himself and earn the village's respect so that he in turn could be respected.

And knowing Naruto, he could do it easily.

But that didn't mean that Kakashi couldn't give death glares to anyone who dared insult Naruto.

* * *

-;-

* * *

A KUNAI WHIZZED PAST Naruto's face, missing his cheek barely by an inch. With that in mind, Naruto gulped, knowing that if the said weapon had done its job, he would be punished and humiliated terribly.

* * *

**Flashback**

* * *

_"Naru-chan, Saku-chan," Kushina said sweetly, "Minato and I made a quick, agreeable decision, and we think that it would benefit you two greatly to an extent."_

_Naruto's blue eyes looked at her curiously. "What is it, kaa-chan?"_

_Something glinted in Kushina's eyes. "You and Saku-chan will spar, and whoever loses will be the one to kiss the winner on the cheek!"_

_"NANI?!" Naruto exclaimed, his cheeks flushing. "Kaa-chan! This... That can't possibly benefit us at all!"_

_Kushina tsked at her son. "I wasn't finished yet, Naru-chan. The one who wins..." She paused for a dramatic effect. "...will get to be personally trained by _me_!"_

_Naruto's eyes sparkled. "_Seriously_, kaa-chan?!" He knew that his mother was powerful, and she could be able to teach him a few cool techniques, especially _fuuinjutsu_ which was the specialty of the Uzumaki clan._

_"Uh huh!" Kushina said, feeling very proud of herself._

_A determined fire sparked in Sakura's eyes. "I'll do it!"_

* * *

**End of Flashback**

* * *

"Remember, kids, no ninjutsu or genjutsu. Got it?" Kushina reminded.

"_Hai_!" they chorused, the excitement and anticipation evident in their eyes.

"All right then. _Begin_!"

* * *

-;-

* * *

NARUTO POUTED. "THAT WAS really unfair, Sakura-chan," he mumbled.

Sakura giggled. "Gomen ne, Naruto. But at least Minato-sama offered to train you himself. Isn't that a good thing?"

"I guess so..."

* * *

**Flashback**

* * *

_When Kushina stepped back and watched from a respectable distance, Naruto started charging towards Sakura while throwing several kunai. In a fluid motion, Sakura easily dodged and deflected them before twisting her body and landing a hit on Naruto's shoulder followed by a hard shove to his back._

_Staggering but not giving up yet, Naruto attempted to kick her in the gut, but she caught his leg and twisted it painfully before sidestepping him to land another hit on his shoulder._

_"Too slow, Naruto!" she said, delivering a set of blows to his body and throwing him easily to the ground. "Don't go easy on me!"_

_He stood up, wobbling slightly as he wiped his mouth free of dirt. She was right; he was hesitant on taking her seriously because she was a girl, he cared about her, and because she was four years old in appearance. I mean, _who_ would want to hit someone who looked so _cute_ and _innocent_?_

_And since when had she become so _good_ at taijutsu?_

_"I trained every day and night," she explained, noticing the look on his face. "I leave a Kage Bunshin behind and go to the training grounds in Henge form."_

"_A Kage Bunshin?" Naruto exclaimed, eyes wide. "Since when have you been able to use—" Then, realizing that he must've said it very loudly, immediately clamped a hand over his mouth and glanced at his mother who was watching the two with interest in her eyes._

"_It's okay, Naruto," Sakura assured him. "Kushina-san can't hear us from there."_

_Breathing a sigh of relief, Naruto drew his hand away from his mouth and continued on planning a strategy in his mind. "You haven't answered my question, Sakura-chan…"_

"_Oh, yeah. Well…" She blushed. "I can only make one, though, and since my chakra would be divided between my clone and I, I thought that it was a good idea to use up some of my reserves. Back in the war, I asked Kakashi-sensei how to make one, and he told me how. But I hadn't made an attempt on it yet. That is, until _now_."_

"_Oh, I see then," Naruto said, nodding in understanding. Then, with a curious expression on his face, he asked, "Why are you training so hard, Sakura-chan?"_

_She smiled sadly. "Isn't it obvious, Naruto? I want to catch up to you and Sasuke-kun."_

_Naruto's eyes widened. "Sakura-chan..."_

_Making a move, she proceeded to deliver a roundhouse kick, but he dodged it by jumping into the air. Acting fast, she took out a kunai and slashed, but all she hit was air. Naruto then went behind her and elbowed her back hard, causing her to drop to the ground. Making sure that she wouldn't get up, he placed his foot on her back, trapping her there._

_"You're already strong, Sakura-chan," Naruto said softly. "You don't need to catch up with us because we're all on the same level now."_

_He then turned his back on her and was about to declare his victory when he suddenly heard a 'poof'._

_"_Eh_?" He was about to turn around when he felt cold metal touching his neck. He stiffened instantly as he realized that he had been too careless._

_"Arigatou, Naruto," Sakura whispered in his ear before Kushina declared her the winner._

* * *

**End of Flashback**

* * *

"But _still_!" Naruto complained. "It just didn't cross my mind that you'd use Kawarimi."

"That's because you're an idiot," Sakura taunted playfully, sticking out her tongue at him. "Naruto-_baka_."

"_Hey_!"

"Oh, Naru-chaaaaan…" Kushina drawled sweetly, and the former flinched. "You still have your punishment…"

Naruto gulped. Oh man…

Suddenly Sakura's features contorted into a horrified grimace. "Wait… Oh no, I forgot! He's supposed to… to…"

"That's right!" Kushina said cheerfully. "My little Naru-chan's going to kiss Sakura-chan on the cheek!"

"_What_?! No!" Sakura said in horror.

"_Kaa-chan_!" Naruto said, blushing furiously.

"What's wrong, Naru-chan?" Kushina said with a glint in her eye. "Would you prefer it on the lips?"

"GAH! _NO_!"

* * *

-;-

* * *

SASUKE WENT UP TO Itachi with determined eyes. "Aniki," he said carefully.

Itachi regarded his little brother with warm eyes, something that the latter always liked to see because it made him feel so loved. "What is it, Sasuke?" he asked genially.

"I... I'd like to visit some friends of mine."

Itachi's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You have friends?" This was new to him since Sasuke seemed a bit anti-social to others who were not of their clan. "Can I ask who they are?"

Sasuke thought hard for a moment. If he told Itachi that he knew Namikaze Naruto, the known jinchuuriki of the village, he couldn't tell what his brother's reaction might be. Would he be disappointed? Shocked, maybe. Also, if he told him that the other one was Haruno Sakura, he'd no doubt become slightly suspicious of the fact that Sasuke had managed to befriend a girl despite his quiet, subtle claims of dislike of the female population except for the ones in their clan.

But then Sasuke figured that he was four years old anyway, and normally four-year-olds were still unaware and innocent.

"Naruto and Sakura," he said quietly.

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "The son of the Hokage and the pink-haired girl?"

Sasuke tilted his head up—_damn short four-year-old height_—to look at him in surprise. Replaying his words in his mind, he was sure that he hadn't mentioned their last names, so how did Itachi manage to—

"Yes, I know them," Itachi murmured softly in reply to Sasuke's unspoken question, "and I personally think that Yondaime-sama's son is determined and awfully strong-willed despite the treatment the village is giving him. As for the little girl, she's very bright and cheerful and wears weights daily in her feet."

Sasuke blinked. "Weights...?"

"Yes. I presume that she is trying to enhance her speed and leg strength exponentially. And her progress with sensing chakra is improving greatly." Itachi let a small smile unfurl on his lips. "Naruto-kun, on the other hand, is practicing his speed and accuracy and is getting awfully near to mastering them. I know all these because I have grown interested in them ever since I noticed them."

"I see," Sasuke said quietly, knowing that once Itachi's interest had been peaked, there was almost nothing that could stop him from getting all the information he wanted. Even if he'd spent the majority of his entire life hating his brother, he still loved him, especially after he found out the truth about the massacre. He'd been pained and full of sorrow about it, as expected. He knew that his brother had once loved him, but he never really realized that he hadn't stopped loving him at all, and for that, he felt so guilty and sorry for what his brother had gone through. It was all truly the fault of those blasted, corrupt Elders including Danzo.

Speaking of which, he wanted to kill the little bastard right _now_.

"Sasuke..." Itachi said quietly, interrupting his thoughts. "I care for you. And because of that, I respect your choice of friends and I trust that you will make the right decisions."

Sasuke felt a tiny lump in his throat, but he swallowed it back and summoned a grateful smile on his face. "Arigatou... aniki."

* * *

-;-

* * *

KAKASHI WATCHED CLOSELY FROM a tree branch, knowing all too well that no one could detect him there because he'd skillfully masked his chakra as to not get caught. He knew that his three students could very well figure out he was there if he hadn't taken precautionary measures, so he did the best he could. Besides, he couldn't really stand not knowing what was going on between them, and because he had been forced to wait four long years until they were of age to be able to talk coherently, he was growing steadily impatient. He _had_ to know if they were doing all right or else his conscience would eat him up.

The first thing that happened was Sasuke strolling in the streets with Itachi and Mikoto. The next was Naruto and Sakura chatting animatedly along with the Yondaime and his wife. People stared in awe but with a bit of hate in their eyes as they casually passed by, and it did not go unnoticed by Kakashi. His eyes narrowed and his fists clenched; they _dared_ to act that way around the Hokage and his family? It was _unacceptable_. They should have some decency, at least.

But they didn't.

When they thought that no one from the family was looking, they glared at Naruto with all the hate they could muster. At that moment, Kakashi wanted to go down and throttle them all senseless, but then someone beat him to it.

And boy, did she knock a bit of sense into them.

"Oi, _oi_!" Sakura yelled in a high-pitched tone that was undoubtedly (and for her, embarrassingly) a four-year-old's. "What're you all glaring at?! Don't think that I don't notice the way you all look at Naruto!" Her jade-green eyes blazed with anger. "Leave him alone! He's my best friend, you hear? _Meanies_!"

Kakashi had to try his very best to suppress his amused chuckle. Sakura just sounded very much like a kid.

_Well, leave it to her to try to turn the tables in her favour and persuade the villagers forcefully in a verbal manner,_ Kakashi thought, pride swelling in his chest.

_It's just _so_ like Sakura._

But then, ten full seconds after the latter's outburst, a certain someone's harsh remark hit the resentful villagers straight on the head.

"_Tch_. You bunch of idiots." Considering the amount of people in the streets, no one normally should have heard him, but the members of the Uchiha Clan had a way of expressing their distaste in a voice that, even if quiet, could be audible enough to hit their intended marks.

Uchiha Sasuke was not an exemption to that.

Kakashi's face broke into a full, very proud grin.

"Sasuke," Mikoto scolded, looking the slightest bit scandalized. She hadn't expected her son to defend the jinchuuriki's honour, but when she thought about it deeply, she admitted sheepishly to herself that the villagers got just what they deserved. Showing disrespect to the Hokage's son while the Hokage was around was unheard of.

Itachi, on the other hand, was thoughtful and silent. He didn't really blame his brother, so there was no point in delivering an admonishment to his justified actions.

But unfortunately, Sasuke wasn't paying any attention to them and only had eyes for his two teammates in front of him.

Naruto and Sakura's had eyes widened into saucers when they'd heard him.

"S—Sasuke-kun...?" Sakura inquired tentatively as if she were somewhat convinced that the Sasuke in front of her was a mirage of some sort.

Naruto, however, had a far more expressive reaction. "_Sasuke-teme_!" he exclaimed, running up to him in delight.

Minato and Kushina looked at each other, then at Mikoto and Itachi. The four of them were quite surprised by the children's display, but they didn't comment on it and instead chose to watch the scene from the sidelines.

Sasuke had a flat expression on his face. "Sakura," he said tonelessly, nodding at her in acknowledgement before turning his gaze on the blond in front of him. "Dobe."

Naruto grinned in response, slapping a hand on the dark-haired boy's back. "Nice to see ya again, _teme_!"

Minato looked a bit embarrassed by his son's diction, Itachi merely looked amused by the whole scene, Mikoto was smiling softly the entire time, while Kushina looked proud of her son.

Kakashi sweatdropped as he regarded the reactions of his sensei and his wife. _It's no doubt where Naruto takes his personality after... No doubt _at all_._

"Hn. Shut up, dobe." Sasuke then proceeded to walk past him with an uncaring aura.

Naruto, however, placed an arm around his best friend, effectively making him stop in his tracks. "Oi, teme, let's go eat at Ichiraku's! I'm hungry!"

Sakura bonked him on the head. "Have you forgotten that your parents are behind us, Naruto-baka?!" she scolded.

Naruto rubbed his slightly swollen head. "_Itai_... That hurt, Sakura-chan!"

"It better had or else the hit would've been meaningless."

Muttering apologies under his breath, Naruto turned to his parents, giving them his infamous puppy-dog eyes. "Ne, tou-chan, kaa-chan... Can I go eat ramen with Sakura-chan and Sasuke-teme?"

Minato smiled warmly. "Of course you can, Naruto."

Kushina grabbed her husband's arm, sending a wink at her son. "Then your father and I will be going then, Naru-chan." She then proceeded to haul Minato off.

"Ah, wait! Kaa-chan!" Naruto called out, slightly confused. "Where're you and tou-chan going?"

"We're going on a date, of course!" Kushina replied all too innocently and casually.

Minato's cheeks turned slightly pink in embarrassment.

"Oh, I get it! Have fun then, tou-chan, kaa-chan!" Naruto then turned to Sakura with hearts in his eyes. "Ne, Sakura-chan, let's go on a date, too!"

Sakura blinked, and for a moment, Naruto thought that she was going to say no. "Thank you, Naruto..." she said cheerfully.

Naruto's eyes widened in anticipation.

"...but no thanks."

Naruto visibly deflated.

"Hmph. Serves you right, dobe. Or have you forgotten that I'm here?" Sasuke intoned flatly.

Mikoto giggled behind her hand. It was the first time she'd ever seen her little boy have such a friendly interaction with people outside of their clan. The fact was reassuring enough for her to realize that the Hokage's son and Mebuki's daughter were capable of Sasuke's change.

"Ne, Sasu-chan," Mikoto spoke up. "Itachi-kun and I will go on grocery shopping. You, on the other hand, can go spend time with your friends."

"Arigatou, kaa-san," Sasuke said softly before she and Itachi left, a smile tugging on his lips as he spoke.

Naruto stared at him in surprise, his jaw dropping. Sakura, on the other hand, was gaping openly with her eyes wide.

Sasuke noticed this and turned to them in annoyance. "_What_?" he growled, not liking the way

Naruto snapped out of his stupor. "Ah, sorry 'bout that," he said with a goofy smile, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "I just..."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, mild suspicion flickering in his eyes. "Just what, dobe?"

To his surprise, it was Sakura who spoke up. "You... You should smile more often and freely, Sasuke-kun," she told him softly. "You'll feel better if you express your happiness more."

Then, in turn, to their surprise, Sasuke lowered his head slightly, looking a little lost. "I'll... try," he said softly, frowning. "I'm just not used to it yet."

After a few moments, a wide grin stretched across Naruto's face as he placed an arm around Sasuke. "That's the spirit, teme! Now, let's go eat ramen! I'm starved!"

But before he could go on, though, Sakura squeezed herself between the two and took Naruto's hand in hers.

She then turned to Sasuke, her jade-green eyes looking at him with a question in them. The latter stared back, but after a moment of silence, he gave the slightest of nods.

Smiling, Sakura took his hand into her other one and proceeded to go towards Ichiraku.

Kakashi smiled as he took off his ANBU mask. _They've obtained happiness now... I'm glad._

But how long would it all last?

* * *

**END**

* * *

**A/N:** For some clarification, Itachi is a bit talkative whenever he's concerned with his little brother, so I don't think that he's OOC here.

And I've noticed that whenever Sasuke and Sakura meet, the former always says the latter's name, vice versa, so I'm applying that here to make it seem more canon!verse.

Now, as for this chapter... Well, it's all just a bunch of conversations and meetings and the like. It's kinda boring, actually, but I'll try my best to make it interesting in the next chapter, I promise.

**P.S:** If you think I'm rambling too much in my author's notes, then I think you must have a slight misunderstanding because I'm trying to explain the development of the story so that you all won't get confused about it. Also, I am trying to get your opinions on the matter so that I can try my best to improve. I take no offense, and I am not implying any offense whatsoever. I am usually a civil person, and I don't want any trouble or chaos.

LASTLY, I know that I said that starting this chapter, I said that the chapters would be epic length (8,000 words and above), but when I wrote this, I found out, to my dismay, that it only went up to 5,000 words. I deeply apologize for this. So, I will make up for it by making the next chapter about 10,000 words long. To do this, though, I would need a lot more time. Six days at most, I presume, but I promise that I'll try to update as soon as possible. I hope you'll all forgive me. :'(

Have a nice day! :)


	3. ღChapter 2ღ

**Naruto Shippuden: The Legendary Team ****伝説的なチーム**  


by Her Pretty Smile

* * *

**A/N:** So I've read your reviews and I think I'm going to need to clarify some things.

1. Sakura in Naruto Shippuden (based on my research) is seventeen years old. She is also the same age when she travelled back to the past. But then four years has passed and now she's twenty-one.

2. Kushina should've been dead...? Um, based on what I've seen in the anime, when the Kyuubi was extracted from her, she didn't really die like Gaara did. She was just extremely weak and needed medical attention. She has strong willpower and strength, so maybe that's why. I don't know if I'm right, though, but I'm keeping her alive nevertheless or else I'd have to start the plot all over again. T.T

However, based on my research, which is stated as follows: "_Wishing to use the Nine-Tails to destroy Konoha, the masked man released it from Kushina's body. The vitality inherent to the Uzumaki clan allowed her to survive the extraction, though greatly weakened by experience, the masked ninja tried to have the Nine-Tails finish Kushina off. She was saved by Minato and brought to Naruto, who she stayed with while Minato went to help in the village's defense._

"_To stop the Nine-Tails' attack, Minato was forced to bring it to Kushina and Naruto's location, and both of them to its. While still weakened, Kushina used her diminished chakra to restrain the Nine-Tails. Despite knowing the trauma would kill her in her current state, Kushina volunteered to have the Nine-Tails sealed back into her body so that it would die with her. Doing so would also save the lives of Minato and Naruto; her thanks to them for giving her such a happy life. Minato suggested using the Dead Demon Consuming Seal on the Nine-Tails and sealing it into Naruto instead_."

So there. Because her clan specializes in Sealing Techniques, she survived the extraction of the Kyuubi, though she was greatly weakened in return.

3. Don't worry. Romance is for the later chapters only. For now, it'll be gen. I estimate that the entire focusing of romance will be in the Part 2 of this fic.

4. I'm inferring that if Minato is alive, then he'll be able to prevent the Uchiha Massacre from happening. If I'm on the wrong track, please do inform me.

5. The POVs are going to vary from now on. It's quite easy to keep track of, so there should be no problem. At times there will even be an everyone's POV.

6. Okay, so now 1 said that Sakura should end up with Sasuke while 1 said that she should end up with Kakashi. :)

7. So the Kyuubi has also been sent back to the past since it is practically a part of Naruto now. Yes, he's been tamed, and yes, they have occasional conversations inside Naruto. To clarify this, I italicized Naruto's dialogue just so it would be easily figured out.

8. Well, Kakashi can't just visit Naruto because… why should he? I mean, he's been through a lot, and he doesn't really strike me as the socializing type. I figured that Kakashi, a long time ago, was one to bury himself in his work and not care about anything else. However, he'd just started to warm up a bit after Obito's 'death'.

* * *

**Naruto Shippuden: The Legendary Team ****伝説的なチーム**

Chapter 2

* * *

"SSSH! BE QUIET, WILL you, Minato? I can't hear a _damn_ thing!" Kushina hissed, pushing her husband's head down forcefully to the ground.

"_Ow_!" Minato cried out. "_Kushina_! Eavesdropping on the children is just _wrong_!"

"Oh shut up or else I'll make you sleep on the floor tonight!"

"..." Minato sighed, giving up. "Is this really necessary, though? I mean, all they're going to talk about surely won't be of any significance to you."

"…You noticed it, too, didn't you?" Kushina said in a quiet voice.

Minato frowned. "Noticed what?"

"Oh come on, Minato. You're not _that _dense."

"…Yeah, I did," he admitted softly. "But it's only normal. I mean, they aren't like any of the kids we know and are used to, but aren't you glad that he's not like them?"

Kushina lowered her head, her bangs covering her eyes. "I know," she said softly, "but it's just kind of new to me. Our little boy's growing up so fast…"

Minato kept quiet. There was also something about the way Naruto and his friends acted that sent tiny alarm bells ringing inside his mind. There was something quite off, but he couldn't seem to comprehend what it was.

On second thought, maybe he was just being paranoid.

He just hoped he was.

* * *

-;-

* * *

"SO, WHAT SHOULD WE do now that we're in the past?" Sakura asked quietly, making sure that her voice wouldn't be heard by the people in the surroundings. "What are our objectives?"

"To save the future," Naruto answered immediately.

"That's our general objective," Sakura clarified for him. "What I'm asking is for the specific objectives."

When Naruto looked a little lost, Sakura explained patiently, "We have to be systematic; we have to pretend to plan a step-by-step procedure. Like, for example, what should we do in the Chuunin Exams? What should we do next when we win? Something like that."

"Oh, I get it!" Naruto said, grinning goofily.

"If we can prove that the three of us are prodigies, then there will be no problem in enrolling into the Academy this early," Sasuke said quietly.

Sakura's eyes widened as the revelation dawned on her. "That's right, the Academy! If we graduate early and pass the Chuunin Exams early, then we'll be on our way to becoming Jounin!"

"Providing we train hard to meet that particular goal," Sasuke piped up.

Sakura nodded. "That's right. So now here's a plan that I've concocted last night. It may not be a flawless strategy, but I think it might just work—"

"The... The _Academy_...?" Naruto said, gulping. "Y—You mean I'm going to have to... to..."

Sasuke and Sakura looked at each other.

_That's right..._ Sakura thought, biting her lower lip. _Naruto can't seem to perform basic jutsus and his chakra control is way below average. Or, on second thought, it's just _average, _considering that he can use the Rasengan, activate Sage Mode, and many other ridiculous jutsus. But that aside, I have to find a way to fix the areas in which he's lacking. Also, regarding the matter of his studies..._ The wheels in Sakura's brain were whirling rapidly as she ran several possibilities and strategies in her mind. She may not be Shikamaru with his IQ, but she was smart, and that was enough.

"You could get your father to train you, dobe," Sasuke suggested.

"I guess..." Naruto said, visibly deflating. Then he slightly hung his head low, his eyes dark and serious in thought. "But I've got this feeling... This desire to not disappoint him and to show him that I'm worthy of being his son." He smiled. "I guess this is what it feels like to have a real family... I never really knew that it would be this special and... _amazing_... To have two people in your life who love you unconditionally and you in turn love them with all your heart is such a great feeling..."

There was a hint of a smile on Sasuke's face. "Same here, dobe," he said softly in understanding.

Sakura felt her happiness soar in her heart as she witnessed her teammates' own. Back then, she'd felt glad and guilty at the same time that she still had her family; she was thankful that she hadn't been like the lonely Naruto or the vengeful Sasuke. She was thankful that she had a family who cared for her and wished for nothing more.

But deep inside, she knew that aside from her parents, she considered her team family and cared for them unconditionally, especially because she was the only female member. She cared a lot for Naruto like a brother, loved Sasuke like a partner, considered Kakashi as an older brother, and regarded Sai as a precious equal.

But now, if she were being honest to herself, she would say that it had all changed—or rather, _evolved_—into something far more different.

After she'd confessed to Naruto, she felt like something changed. Not drastically, though, but more like the feeling had been there all along, hidden, dormant, and small, until it slowly, secretly resurfaced and grew. She'd like to say that she didn't really know what it was, but deep inside, she had an inkling. However, she was afraid to dwell on it further lest it might either cause some misunderstandings or chaos or it might even blow things out of proportion.

Then there was Sasuke. She loved him, that was true. She trusted him, and she had faith in him. However, after almost being killed by him two times, she'd become slightly wary of him, her defenses sliding up unconsciously whenever she spotted him. It was her body's natural, unconscious reaction, but she couldn't help but feel guilty about it. It was like she didn't trust him around her when it had to truly be the other way around.

However, after analyzing the two particular events in which they'd interacted and replaying them over and over in her mind, she noticed that when she'd charged towards him back at Orochimaru's base, when Yamato saved her and got hit on her account, his aim had seemed a little off. He'd hit Yamato on the shoulder, and, judging from the height difference between her and the latter... From that, she was almost certain that he hadn't been trying to hit her. It was the same with the incident before Naruto saved her from him. He was biting his lip as he came at her with his Chidori. She'd only seen it for a fleeting moment and forgot about it afterwards. But now, it puzzled her greatly. Did... Did Sasuke _not want to hurt her_?

But.. that was impossible... _right_?

Meanwhile, Kakashi, on the other hand, was like a gentle, protective figure in her life. When Naruto left to train with Jiraiya, Kakashi was always there for her whether it was to comfort, to train with, or to spend time with. At times, however, he was either at home or on a mission, causing her to miss his comforting presence. Their relationship wasn't clear until now though now that she was a Chuunin and he wasn't her teacher anymore.

Despite that, she still called him 'Kakashi-_sensei_'.

Sai, on the other hand, although emotionally awkward, was someone she considered family. Sure, he always called her '_Ugly_' and '_Hag_', but she knew that he only thought of it as an affectionate, friendly gesture and nothing more. She knew that deep inside, he considered them friends and he never really meant to hurt any of them. He meant well, but he just didn't understand and know more.

She wondered if that would change now, now that he had the chance to correct his past.

Would he still be the same as he was?

"Anyway," Naruto was saying while hungrily slurping his noodles, "what's your plan, Sakura-chan?"

Aforementioned person was jolted back to reality and she blushed, feeling embarrassed that her thoughts wandered in the middle of their conversation. "Oh, yeah... As I was saying—" Her eyes suddenly fluttered wide open and, taking out a kunai from her weapon pouch, she yelled, "_Get down_!"

Fortunately, Sasuke had also sensed the same thing she had and promptly dropped to the ground, dragging Naruto with him.

"Hey!" the latter protested. "What was that for—"

He was cut off when almost instantly, several kunai made its way inside the shop and Sakura deflected them flawlessly before throwing some of her own.

"Who's there?!" she commanded in an authoritative tone of voice.

When nothing happened, Sasuke stood up with an annoyed expression on his face. "Show yourself," he said in a dangerous voice.

A low, dark growl emitted from the outside and immediately the figure appeared before them, brandishing different kinds of weapons. He had on an angry scowl, a murderous expression, and bloodshot eyes. His gaze the entire time was focused on Naruto.

"_You_!" he hissed. "You _damn Kyuubi brat_!"

Naruto's expression looked like it was torn between indignant and apprehensive.

"_Hey_!" Sakura defended instantly. "Don't you _dare_ talk to Naruto like that!"

Meanwhile, Minato was trying his best to restrain his wife from committing bloody murder.

"Let me at him, Minato! He's insulting my son! Let me at him and I'll tear him into bloody little pieces!" Kushina growled in rage.

"Kushina, stop," Minato said softly. "_Stop_. Let's let the children take care of this. If I sense that it is going to go off-hand, I will interfere. For now, let's just watch what happens, okay?"

Kushina wanted to strangle him senseless. "_Hokage-sama_," she said in a dangerous tone of voice, "your son is _in_ _danger_. What are you going to do if he's going to end up _dead_? _Huh_?" she snarled.

"Naruto has to learn to stand up on his own," Minato said firmly and patiently, "and to accept the help of his friends."

At that, Kushina calmed down a bit. Though she wouldn't admit it, her husband always knew how to help lessen her fears. "Promise me, Minato," she said quietly. "Promise me that you _won't let anything happen to him_."

He looked at her, saw the fear and worry in her eyes, and said firmly, "_I_ _promise_."

* * *

-;-

* * *

NARUTO WAS OVERLOADED WITH emotions; he felt horrified, sad, and furious at the same time. He had long accepted the fact that he was the object of the village's resentment. He never paid much attention to it and endured the hard, cold stares and the injustice. But now _someone was trying to kill him openly_?

It was frustrating to the point of disbelief.

However, thanks to the slight influence of his father, he chose to approach the matter as calmly as he could and took a step towards the angry man.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the astonished, incredulous, and disbelieving looks of his teammates. He couldn't blame them for that. They were only trying to protect him.

But he just had to find out why the man was so angry to him.

"Ne, ne," he spoke up in his childlike voice, "what's wrong, mister?"

The man glared at him murderously and tried to stab him with a kunai. However, Sakura tied his feet and arms with chakra strings to the ground while Sasuke had a kunai held against his throat, effectively preventing his offense. A furious expression appeared on the man's face as he realized that he was being won over by a bunch of four-year-olds.

Sadness etched itself in Naruto's eyes. "I haven't done anything to you," he said softly. "So why are you doing this?"

The man snorted derisively. "What do you mean you haven't _fucking_ done _anything_?! You're a brat who's an absolute _monster_—"

"Naruto is _not_ the Kyuubi," Sakura said in a hard voice. "The Kyuubi is inside him, but he's entirely different from it. He's one of us."

Both Minato and Kushina's eyes widened in shock.

"_Ha_! What a joke, little girl. If the Kyuubi lives inside him, then there's no doubt that he has become influenced by it! He should just disappear from this world along with that monster!"

"You _dare_ speak that way to the Hokage's son?" Sasuke said with steel in his voice.

"You dare say that to a _child_?! A four-year-old, no less!" Sakura growled. "He is pure and untainted unlike _you_!"

Pure, unadulterated anger flashed across the man's face. "Why you bitchy little _brat_—"

Sasuke drew the blade to the man's neck close enough to pierce skin. "You are a disgrace to this village," he said slowly but surely. "_You_ are the one with the bad influence, not Naruto."

"_Wait_!" Naruto pleaded, his deep-blue eyes staring deep into the man's own. "_Why_? Why do you hate me so much that you want to kill me?"

"That monster inside of you killed my daughter!" the man shouted in fury, tears pooling up in his eyes. "Four years ago, when it attacked the village, a pile of stones and wood fell on her and caused her to go into a coma. A little while ago, she... _she died_," he choked out. "And it's all because of the Kyuubi! I will never, _ever_ forgive it!"

Naruto's eyes hardened, but there was a hint of sympathy in them. "And that's why you want to kill me? Hasn't it ever crossed your minds that I _saved_ the village? Haven't you all ever thought that I became the sacrifice in order to save you all?" His voice cracked with emotion. "Haven't you _ever_ thought that I'm just a kid who doesn't know anything yet? Just someone who isn't aware of the reason why you're all swallowed up by hate? Do you all really think that killing me is the answer? _Do you_?!"

The man just stared at him in shock, speechless.

"N—Naruto," Sakura breathed out, her eyes wide.

"You don't understand," Naruto went on, tears falling down from his eyes. "You don't understand me _at all_."

To be honest, he didn't know why he was crying and why his emotions were pouring out of him. He only knew that it was way beyond his control, that it was only in his four-year-old nature that he couldn't seem to hold his feelings in anymore.

"_It's ridiculous_," he said softly, lowering his head and clenching his fists. "_I'm acting like a kid_."

"You certainly do," the Kyuubi said in a bored voice. "Though in your case, you can't help it."

"_That's stupid, then. I'm already twenty years old_."

"A twenty-year-old in a four-year-old body."

Naruto sighed. "_Now _what_? Now I can't get to look cool in front of Sakura-chan_!"

"...And you think I care about that?"

"_Hmph. _Meanie."

"Good. Now you're acting your age."

"_Hey_!"

* * *

-;-

* * *

SASUKE KNEW THAT HE had to do something. He didn't know what, but he just had to—_anything_ at all.

So he hit a pressure point on the man's neck and watched as he fell limply on the ground, Sakura's chakra strings having disappeared a while ago. The latter, however, did not notice anything off-hand; she was staring at Naruto with loving, sympathetic eyes before running over to him and hugging him tight.

Sasuke knew that the scene had long caused a commotion, and he silently hoped that the people who witnessed the incident would open their eyes and let Naruto's words snap into their thick head.

Unfortunately, it just wasn't _that_ easy.

The resentment might lessen, but he knew that it wouldn't fade away just yet.

Heaving a breath, Sasuke closed his eyes for a moment before opening them and—

—revealing the _Sharingan_.

Naruto and Sakura stared at him.

"Sasuke... kun...?" the latter said softly.

"Oi, Sasuke..." Naruto said, his eyes wide as he crawled over to his best friend. "Your eye...

"I know," Sasuke said quietly. His gaze was then directed sharply towards the unconscious man in front of him. "He should be arrested for treason. What he did was a great offense."

Naruto blinked in shock. "What? But... he has a reason to! Don't blame him for that."

"Even though he was trying to kill you?" Sasuke snorted. "Sometimes you're just too soft for your own good."

Naruto smiled sadly and hung his head low. "Yeah, I know..."

Sakura placed a hand gingerly on his shoulder, sending a silent message of reassurance. Naruto turned his head to look at her and thanked her with his eyes.

She nodded in understanding.

Sasuke watched them silently.

* * *

-;-

* * *

MINATO CHOSE TO APPEAR at that moment with Kushina at his side. "I'll take care of him, Sasuke," he told the dark-haired boy warmly, though on the inside he was surprised to see that the four-year-old Uchiha had activated his Sharingan at such an early age.

_He's a prodigy_, he realized as he sent covert glances towards Sasuke, who was saying one-word replies to his son, much to the latter's irritation. _And the three of them seem so knowledgeable and mature..._

His train of thought was cut off when Kushina swept Naruto into her arms, her blue eyes dark with concern.

"Are you okay, sweet cakes?" she prodded in a motherly tone of voice. "Did that man do something to you? Did he hurt you in any way? Don't be afraid to tell mommy, sweetheart."

Naruto's cheeks flared red in joy and embarrassment. "K—Kaa-chan..."

"He _did_ hurt you, didn't he?" Kushina growled. "Oh when I get my hands on him, I'll make sure that his intestines—"

"Kushina," Minato interrupted quickly. "Stop right there or you'll scare the children."

Kushina huffed in indignation. "I am only trying to protect my son."

"Committing gory murder on his expense isn't the same as protecting him, you know," Minato admonished gently.

Kushina huffed again, but this time it was resigned. "Fine, fine, I'm a reckless idiot and you're the epitome of calm and cool."

Minato grinned and started to haul the man up. "I never said that."

* * *

-;-

* * *

"You called for me, Hokage-sama?" Kakashi's baritone sounded across the room as he stood before the leader of the village with a professional air.

"Kakashi," Minato said mildly, "you don't have to be so formal with me. You were my student, after all."

Kakashi smiled softly, then let it fade before taking off his mask. "All right then, Minato-sensei."

The latter smiled in appreciation. "Good. Your expression's gotten a lot softer than it was. I trust that you're coping up well?"

"Yes, it seems."

"That is good news, then." Minato let out a deep breath, his eyes dark and thoughtful. "Look, Kakashi... I sent for you here because you're the only one I can trust in this."

Kakashi paid full attention to the Hokage's words; he had a sort of inkling on what he was going to ask of him. "I understand, Hokage-sama."

"...I need you to watch over my son."

Kakashi nodded mutely. So he had been right on his prediction. "Understood, Hokage-sama."

"To be honest, I really didn't want to do this, but I have no choice. After the incident with Jin—the man who wanted to kill Naruto—I don't want to take any risks. I love my son very much, and I don't want anything to happen to him. Therefore, your task will be to watch over him and make sure that he's out of harm's way. If you assess the situation to be something that he can solve himself, then leave it be. I want him to become independent enough to be able to protect himself one day." A small smile graced Minato's features. "Naruto—or maybe one of his friends—will most likely detect your presence, seeing as they are very talented and prodigal. If that happens, you can reveal yourself and maybe even interact with them. You know, try to get to know your godson and his friends better."

"I will, then, Hokage-sama," Kakashi replied dutifully, a hint of a smile on his face. "By the way, is there any chance of them entering the Academy at their age?"

Minato looked thoughtful for a moment. "It's entirely possible. I can certainly arrange for it to be done." His features then contorted into a grimace. "Though I just know that the Council will give me a hard time about it."

A surprised expression crossed Kakashi's face. "Why would they? I mean, Naruto's your son, isn't he? And as for the other two—an Uchiha and a Haruno—it wouldn't be much of a problem getting them in."

"The Kyuubi's attack still rests in their minds," Minato said quietly. "And they're skeptical of three prodigies in a generation. Usually it's just one."

"Then show them the three's abilities," Kakashi suggested. "If they see, they'll believe."

Minato sighed wearily. "I suppose you're right, but... How am I supposed to do that?"

"An arena, perhaps?"

"...Is that really necessary?"

"_Or_ you can just make them demonstrate their skills in front of the Council," Kakashi suggested firmly. "On second thought, use the Sandaime's globe while making them spar against each other. It should be evidence enough."

Minato frowned, his brow creased in thought. "I'll talk to my wife about this, then I'll tell it to Naruto and his friends." A grateful smile appeared on his face. "Thank you, Kakashi. You've been a big help."

"Anytime, Minato-sensei," Kakashi said, bowing respectfully.

"All right. Dismissed."

Kakashi put on his mask and vanished into a puff of smoke.

* * *

-;-

* * *

SAKURA KNEW THAT SHE had to try if she could still exert her monstrous strength and advanced healing perfectly (because she hadn't really gotten a chance back then as to not arouse suspicion), so after the incident with Naruto, she made a beeline for the training grounds, gathered chakra around her fist, and proceeded to smash it onto the ground.

When the smoke cleared, she found herself staring at a large, gaping crater and satisfaction in turn swept over her like a tide.

_Good. I haven't become rusty over the years. Now I'm going to go to the library and study more about the human body and its chakra points_, she thought determinedly to herself, humming quietly under her breath as she turned around. _I _swear_, I'm going to perfect my strength and healing so that I can surpass Tsunade-shishou._

"My, my, Sakura," a familiar voice said mildly. "Leaving so soon?"

Sakura stopped in her tracks, her eyes wide in recognition. _That voice..._

Slowly, she turned around and saw Kakashi leaning against a tree, his ANBU mask in his hand and his expression that of pride and amusement.

"Kakashi... sensei..." Her voice was a whisper.

Aforementioned person lifted a hand in greeting. "Yo. Been a long time, huh, Sakura?"

Tears filled the latter's eyes as she quickly ran up to him and hugged him so tight like she didn't want to ever let him go.

Kakashi responded by ruffling her hair affectionately. "I'm glad to see you, too," he whispered softly, a small smile on his lips.

* * *

-;-

* * *

"NARUTO, CAN YOU COME over here for a moment?" Minato called out.

Almost instantly, their hyperactive blond-haired, blue-eyed son appeared before them and looked at them inquisitively. "Yeah, tou-chan? What's the matter?"

Kushina kneeled before him, scooping him up into her arms. "Sweet cakes, what do you say to entering the Academy two months from now?"

Naruto's eyes lit up in excitement. "Really, kaa-chan? I can?"

Kushina nodded slowly, but there was a hint of hesitance in it. "Kaa-chan just wants to ask you this, though… Are you sure you're ready for this? I mean, since you're a prodigy, it's very likely that you'll graduate to Genin in one year and be on the road to becoming a Chuunin."

Naruto's bright grin made her worried fade away in an instant. "Don't worry about me, kaa-chan! I will never go back on my word. That's my ninja way!"

Kushina chuckled. "Honestly, sometimes you act far beyond your age."

Naruto's expression turned sheepish. "I… I do…?"

Minato reached for his son and ruffled his hair affectionately with a warm smile on his face. "I know you can do it, son. I have faith in you."

Tears pooled up in Naruto's eyes. "Arigatou… tou-chan… kaa-chan… I won't let you two down, I promise."

* * *

-;-

* * *

"SASUKE?" ITACHI CALLED OUT. "Naruto-kun is here to see you."

Sasuke promptly stopped in his training and nodded at his brother in acknowledgement. "All right…"

When he reached the living room, he was instantly jumped by a certain excited blond-haired boy whose aura was oozing with cheerfulness.

"_Sasuke-teme_!" he cried out. "Guess what, guess what!"

"_What_?!" Sasuke said in pure annoyance, trying to pry his best friend off of him.

"Tou-chan said that he can get me, you, and Sakura-chan to the Academy if the three of us spar in the Training Grounds!" Naruto announced happily.

From the couch, Itachi smirked a little to himself.

Sasuke's eyes went slightly wide in surprise before it disappeared as quickly as it came. "…Seriously?"

"Yeah, _seriously_!" Naruto was practically bouncing in delight—_oh the wonders of being his four-year-old body_—and was looking at him with expectant, imploring blue eyes. "So _what are you waiting for_?! Let's go! I bet Sakura-chan's already there! I saw her going there a while ago." He grabbed the dark-haired boy's hand without delay and began to run out of the Uchiha Compound. "Ne, _Itachi-nii-chan_! We're going, okay?!"

Sasuke did not miss the slightly astonished look on his older brother's face, a slip in his somewhat emotionless façade. "Dobe… I think you shocked him," he remarked.

"Nah, that's okay! Itachi's a good guy, anyway!"

Sasuke let a small smile play on his lips. "Yeah…"

* * *

-;-

* * *

WHEN NARUTO AND SASUKE reached the Training Grounds, they found Sakura waiting patiently on a crater that she herself probably made earlier. After seeing them, she. surprisingly, didn't skip over to them happily. Instead, she got out her black gloves and put them on.

"Sakura-cha—" Naruto started.

He didn't get to finish his sentence when she suddenly used Shunshin no Jutsu and appeared before him, drawing back her fist and preparing to hit him straight on the jaw.

However, Sasuke regained his composure quickly and proceeded to kick her on her side. Her eyes narrowing at this, she dodged by swaying her body to the side and back-flipping to a considerable distance.

"Sakura-chan…"

"What're you _doing_, Naruto?" Sakura said, slight incredulity colouring her tone. "The three of us are supposed to spar with each other in order to show off our skills, remember?"

"But… But…" Naruto was flabbergasted. "How do you know about that?"

She smiled knowingly and, with surprising speed, was at Naruto's side in mere seconds. Then, she whispered into his ear, "Kakashi-sensei told me."

"What?!" Naruto exclaimed in shock. "How did you get to meet Ka—"

"Naruto, _be quiet_," Sakura hissed, clamping a hand over his mouth. "Remember that we are being watched right now. It won't do the three of us any good if we get caught."

Sasuke nodded. "You heard her, dobe."

Naruto huffed in indignation. "All right, all right… Sorry."

Sakura stepped back, looking satisfied. "Good. Now, shall we start?"

Naruto grinned. Sasuke gave a small smirk.

"Aa."

* * *

-;-

* * *

NARUTO MADE THE FIRST move.

"_Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

Numerous clones appeared all over the forest, their sheer number outweighing the odds.

However, Sasuke wasn't about to let that happen. He was going to turn the tables easily.

"_Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu_!"

Intense flames made contact with a significantly large group of clones, causing them to rapidly poof out of existence.

Sakura made numerous hand signs. "_Fūton: Hanachiri Mai_!"

With that said, she summoned a cyclone of cherry blossom petals and directed it towards Naruto.

"_Ack_!" He quickly flipped out of the way.

"You can't escape this, Naruto!" Sakura yelled over the sound of the raging cyclone.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto wailed. "You meanie!"

A vein throbbed on Sakura's temple. "I'm a meanie? _Why you_—!"

Sasuke heaved a sigh. "You two are so annoying."

"What was that, Sasuke-teme?!"

And then chaos descended.

* * *

-;-

* * *

"THIS IS..." HOMURA UTTERED in pure disbelief.

"They're... destroying the Training Grounds," Koharu stated, motionless.

Minato, however, wasn't paying much attention to their remarks. He was too busy gawking at his son's full-blown attempt at complete destruction of the area.

Kushina, who was sitting beside him, grinned proudly. "That's the way, my cute little son!" she cheered.

Minato wanted so badly to face-palm. _It's just a spar... But it's getting out of hand._

* * *

-;-

* * *

KAKASHI SIGHED.

_Trust Naruto to be reckless at a time like this..._ His expression turned solemn. _But at least he knows enough not to use Rasengan._

_Otherwise we'd get in trouble._

"Yare, yare... Guess it's time for me to show up." Placing his dog mask on his face, he disappeared into a flurry of leaves and reappeared behind Naruto just in time to catch him by the wrist.

He sighed. "Naruto... This is a spar, not a war."

The latter's eyes went wide. "K—Kakashi-sensei!"

"_Naruto_!" Sakura cried out, an expression akin to horror crossing her features. "Not so loud!"

Naruto went pale as he realized his slip-up. "A—Ah, sorry!"

Sasuke sighed. "Idiot..."

Naruto twitched. "What was that, Sasuke-teme?"

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "Honestly... You guys never change, do you?"

Sakura gave a sheepish grin before it was replaced by a serious look. "Ne, Kakashi-sensei," she said in a soft whisper.

Aforementioned person turned to her.

"Can they—the Elders and Hokage-sama—hear our conversation?"

Kakashi smiled and shook his head. "Nope. I told Minato-sensei that if ever things get too out of hand, I'd stop you. That's the signal that the spar's over."

Relief crossed the three children's expressions.

A thoughtful look appeared on Kakashi's face. "Though I must say... You guys really overdid it this time."

"But we were as careful as we could be," Sakura said defensively. "We didn't give anything away, Kakashi-sensei."

"Aa," Sasuke agreed quietly. "This spar is an evaluation method. If we didn't give almost our all, then we'd never be acknowledged as prodigies."

"Yeah, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto piped up. "We have to get into the Academy as fast as we can so that we can get even stronger!"

Kakashi scratched his head, looking slightly unsure. "Well... It's not like I don't have faith in your abilities, but... I don't exactly trust you three to be able to keep your identities a secret."

"_What_?!" Naruto burst out in disbelief. "Why not?"

Kakashi gave him a hard stare. "Sasuke and Sakura I can trust, but you, Naruto, on the other hand... There's no guarantee that when you encounter dangerous situations you won't use your Rasengan or Sage Mode, even."

Naruto pouted. "Man, Kakashi-sensei. I'm twenty years old already!"

Kakashi tsked, shaking his head. "Still too young, Naruto. Anyway..." His visible eye focused on Sakura. "Sakura... You didn't tell me that you have a wind affinity."

A faint blush coloured her cheeks. "A—Ah... I just discovered it a year ago, Kakashi-sensei. I've been training on my elemental jutsus ever since because I know that I'm not really good at them."

Kakashi nodded in understanding. "I see. Good job, Sakura."

The latter beamed in appreciation.

Kakashi turned his attention to all three of them. "Okay, you guys... Here's the thing. If you three manage to get into the Academy at this age, I'll go back to being a Jounin and ask Minato-sensei if it's possible that I can be your teacher once you've graduated."

Naruto instantly had stars in his eyes. "Really, Kakashi-sensei?! That's so cool!"

Sakura grinned. "It would be good if it turns out like that, Kakashi-sensei! It will mean that we're Team 7 again!"

Sasuke tensed slightly, remembering his betrayal. But then he saw Kakashi's knowing look, Sakura's soft gaze on him, and Naruto's silly, cheerful grin.

He allowed a small smile to play on his lips. "Aa," he agreed.

* * *

-;-

* * *

MINATO EXPELLED A SIGH as he went inside his office and slumped into his chair, Kushina following leisurely behind him.

"It's great that those old geezers are finally convinced of our son's strength, ne, Minato?" Kushina gushed with stars in her eyes.

"They aren't 'old geezers', Kushina," Minato told her calmly, yet his eyes twinkled with amusement. "And are you really sure about entering Naruto in the Academy this early?"

"Of course!" She looked at him as if he were insane. "Our son has to learn how to stand up on his own as soon as possible!"

"Funny, earlier you were talking to me about protecting Naruto and keeping him out of harm's way."

Kushina blushed, looking away quickly in embarrassment. "That—That was nothing!" To her further chagrin, she added, "In fact, your words to me that day... It really made me think, ya know?"

* * *

**Flashback**

* * *

_"Naruto has to learn to stand up on his own," Minato said firmly and patiently, "and to accept the help of his friends."_

* * *

**End Flashback**

* * *

A warm smile appeared on Minato's face. "Then shall we tell him about the good news later tonight?"

* * *

-;-

* * *

"NE, SAKURA-CHAN."

"Yeah, Naruto?"

The latter leaned towards her and whispered, "Kakashi-sensei's gonna pay for the meal, right?"

Sakura looked at him as if he were crazy. "Of course! I mean, he can't just expect us kids to pay... right?"

"Thank you for the meal." Kakashi tapped his mask with a handkerchief and started to stand up.

"Kakashi, where do you think you're going?" Sasuke's calm, quiet voice seemed to resound in the room.

Kakashi sweatdropped. "Well... Uh..."

Sakura glared at him menacingly. "You're not going to make us four-year-olds pay, right?"

"Well... As for that matter..." A somewhat apologetic grin appeared beneath his mask. "I really need to go report to the Hokage, and I've arranged for someone to pick up the tab. So I gotta run! See ya, kids!"

He disappeared with a 'poof'.

Sakura fumed. "That—That cheapskate!"

Naruto sulked in a corner. "I knew it, Sakura-chan..."

Sasuke looked like he was considering bloody murder.

At that moment, someone entered Ichiraku and sat on one of the stools. "So this is where you are..."

Sakura gasped. "Y—You..."

Sasuke stiffened.

Naruto's eyes grew as wide as saucers. "..._Sai_!"

* * *

**END**

* * *

**A/N:** Uh huh. That's the end of the chapter. I know I promised that this will be 10,000 words, and I tried my best to adjust the details and add some more necessary words, but it just wasn't enough. Too much would result in boring conversations and redundancy. Also, I wanted to end the chapter with Sai suddenly appearing, so I can't just add some more scenes. I'm sorry. -.-

Anyway… So Sai has finally appeared! What brings him there? Next chapter will come out probably after three weeks. :D

Sakura's insights here about Sasuke are based on what I've noticed in the manga. Also the anime, but I think it's clearer in the manga. Well, haven't you guys noticed it, too? :) Yeah, I'm a SasuSaku fan \m/ I like other Sakura pairings, too, though.

Kushina strikes me as a woman who has a fierce temper but also one who calls her child cute little pet names, so I made her that way in this story. :)

So yeah, I made Kakashi here Naruto's godfather other than Jiraiya. Is that all right with you all? I, for one, think it's adorable. :3

I'm sorry. I'm afraid I'm not very good at writing fight scenes (even though the genres are adventure/action and romance… -_-), but I'll try my best to improve it.

Yes, I made Sakura's affinity _wind_. I think it suits her just fine. :3

* * *

**Terminology**

_Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu – _Mass Shadow Clone Technique

_Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu – _Grand Fireball Technique

_Fūton: Hanachiri Mai – _Wind Release: Flower Scattering Dance

* * *

I apologize deeply if this chapter isn't to your expectations.

Next chapter will be posted… I think in the next month or so.


End file.
